VANCOUVER, BC (October 3, 2024) – Today, the Canadian Mental Health Association BC Division (CMHA BC) and a growing network of community partners across the province are launching BCWeCare, a bold new campaign with the goal of making mental health care a priority in the upcoming provincial election on October 19.
Almost a million people are living with a mental illness and/or substance use disorder in BC today. While this number is daunting, our challenge in BC is not a lack of solutions, but rather the lack of investment and coordination needed to make those solutions effective. Mental health care remains difficult to access, inconsistent in quality, and lacking strong oversight and accountability. When someone is experiencing a crisis, we are responding in the most expensive and ineffective ways.
The 2024 provincial election offers a unique opportunity to ensure mental health is a priority for voters, candidates, political parties and ultimately the next sitting government. This is why Coast Mental Health, Crisis Centre BC, MPA Society, CMHA BC and 14 local CMHA branches are coming together to announce the launch of BCWeCare, a campaign driven by a network of organizations who are united in advocating for an accessible, high-quality and compassionate mental health care system. Together, we are encouraging the next provincial government to:
- Close the gap by providing affordable and accessible mental health care and addressing the social factors that affect mental health to prevent or intervene early on.
- Raise the bar by improving the quality of mental health care that is dignified, transparent and accountable.
- Respond with care to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis and to address the toxic drug crisis taking more than a thousand people each month in BC.
“At CMHA BC, our advocacy vision is clear: we want a mental health and substance use system where you ask for help once and receive timely high-quality care,” said Jonny Morris, CEO, CMHA BC. “Despite significant and important investments over the last decade, there is still more to do. We’re proud to launch BCWeCare and invite organizations across BC to join us in making mental health care a priority. Together, we can improve access, elevate the quality of care, and ensure compassionate support for people who need it in BC.”
BCWeCare is more than just a campaign – it’s a movement that amplifies diverse voices, services, and needs under a shared vision for mental health care. We call on other organizations from across BC to add their support for this shared vision by visiting BCWeCare.ca.
“As an organization committed to supporting the recovery of people with mental illness, we are proud to stand with community mental health partners as part of the new BCWeCare coalition” said Keir Macdonald, CEO, Coast Mental Health. “Through this campaign, we’re uniting voices across the province to advocate for a mental health system that is accessible, high-quality, and compassionate. By being part of this movement, we can help ensure that individuals receive the care they need, when they need it, in a way that respects their dignity and well-being.” For more information on how to support BCWeCare visit BCWeCare.ca. Click here to watch the BCWeCare video.
Fact and Figures
- Almost a million people in BC are living with a mental illness and/or substance use disorder today.
- In BC, almost a quarter of people perceive their mental health to be fair or poor.
- BC has the highest rates of toxic drug deaths in Canada, losing over 14,000 people to toxic drugs since 2016.
- BC has a higher-than-average rate of suicide and self-harm.
- There are around 30,000 Mental Health Act apprehensions annually in BC, a number that has increased significantly over the last decade.
- In 2023, homelessness grew 31% from previous years, with over 11,000 people identified as experiencing homelessness in BC.
- Almost 10% of people living in British Columbia are living below the poverty line.
About CMHA BC and BCWeCare:
Canadian Mental Health Association BC Division (CMHA BC) is part of one of Canada’s most enduring and recognized charitable organizations, working towards a vision of Canada where everyone can realize their human right to their best possible mental health. In addition to mental health promotion, training and education and direct delivery of mental health services, we engage in advocacy to improve the mental health and substance use systems of care in BC.
BCWeCare is a network of organizations from across British Columbia, coming together to advocate for mental health care that is accessible, high-quality and compassionate.
Media Contact:
CMHA BC Phone: 604.353.8159
Email: media@cmha.bc.ca
Website: BCWeCare.ca